Device for detachably fixing objects

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for accommodating objects, in particular receptacles ( 12  to  12.11 ) in which tools or tool parts are sorted and kept, on a bottom part ( 8 ) in particular of a drawer. A support ( 9 ) is fitted between the object ( 12  to  12.5, 12.9 ) and the bottom part ( 8 ). Said support has elements ( 11 ) for fixing the object ( 12).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for the releasable securing ofcontainers for the sorted storage of tools and/or tool parts, on a baseof, in particular, a drawer, the base itself or an underlay arrangedbetween the container and the base possessing securing elements orrecesses for fixing the container, and the container base possessingcounter-elements for these securing elements or recesses.

In many cases in everyday life and in industrial sectors, articles areused which are sorted. Although reference is primarily made below totools and/or tool parts, the present invention is not intended to berestricted thereto. It applies to a very large number of articles.

FR-A 2 254 193 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,180 have disclosed, for example,card-index boxes in which index cards or even files can be stackedobliquely. The same also applies to U.S. Pat. No. 1,900,148.

For tools, tool chests are known, such as are described, for example,inter alia in U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,556. These tool chests possesspegboards, into the holes of which hooks can be inserted. These hooksthen serve to retain the corresponding tools.

If, for example, articles are laid in drawers, those articles move,often to an undesirable extent, when the drawers and opened and closed.This applies in particular to the abovementioned tools, such as drills,milling cutters, etc, which are sorted by size or other particularparameters. Thus, known tool chests already include containers withdepressions or the like in which these tools lie. In most cases,however, these tool chests are arranged far from a machine in whichthese tools are used. In other words, the user firstly locates the toolin the tool chest and then fits that tool to the machine. If hediscovers at the machine, however, that the tool is not the right tool,he must return to the tool chest and fetch, for example, a tool of adifferent diameter. This takes time and is undesirable.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,458 has in turn disclosed a chest in which twodrawers are provided. Inserted into the upper drawer is an underlay fromwhich obliquely positioned strips project downward, on which, forexample, a container can be placed which in turn possesses channels onthe base side. The container serves, for example, to receive files.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,970 has disclosed an arrangement in which measuringinstruments are secured on a perforated base. The securing is providedby angular plug-in frames.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device of the typereferred to above with which the containers can be kept cleanly sortedand do not become mixed up, and in which the user can take a pluralityof required containers with him.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing object is achieved in that pegs, as securing elements, orthe recesses are arranged symmetrically and at a uniform distance aparton the base or underlay, and in that either projections projectingdownwards from the container base are inserted between the pegs or intothe recesses or recesses are molded into the container base, into whichthe pegs engage.

This means that the container no longer slides backwards and forwards onthe base of, for example, a drawer, thus creating the risk thatcontainers will become mixed up. In the simplest example of embodiment,the elements of the base or underlay can also engage into one anotherfor securing purposes. Thus, a part could be cut off from the underlayand adhesively bonded to a container, the elements projecting downwardsfrom the container. The container is then placed on the underlay, theelements engaging into one another. This is designed, in particular, fora pocket calculator, a gauge block or a weight box.

The containers possess individual depressions or compartments which areformed, in each case, in accordance with the design of the article. If,for example, drills are stored, the container should consist of anintegral injection molding in which elongate depressions withrounded-off depression walls are molded. This also greatly facilitatesthe removal of the drill, which can be pushed out of the depression withone finger.

An essential part of the present invention is the design of the base orof the abovementioned underlay. For example, this underlay may be aplate-shaped element which is laid in, for example, a drawer of a toolchest. The disadvantage here is that drawers of tool chests are notstandardized and may be of different sizes, so that often one part ofthe drawer base is not covered by the plate-shaped element. For thisreason, in a preferred example of embodiment of the present invention, aflexible material, preferably capable of being rolled up, is used forthe underlay. The preferable material here is a plastic, which can berolled up to form a roll. The user then merely needs to unroll a sectionfrom the roll to suit the size of the drawer and cut it off, so that hecan line the drawer completely with the underlay, as is preferable.

As a connecting element, many designs are suitable. In the simpleexample of embodiment, projections are provided on the underlay whichinteract with corresponding container walls and/or recesses and/orprojections in or on the container or the container base. Theprojections of the underlay may be LEGO-type cylindrical plugs on whichor between which the container is laid.

Conversely, however, it is also possible to form recesses in theunderlay into which downward projections from the container base thenengage. For example, these projections may be spherical elements whichthen, in the position of use, rest in a corresponding cup-shapeddepression.

In a preferred example of embodiment, annular projections projectdownward from the container base and, when the container is placed onthe underlay, engage between four pegs. The actual mounting of thecontainer on the underlay is provided, however, by peripheral sidewalls, so that the projections on the container base may actually bedispensed with. The side walls enclose a receiving window which is sodesigned that it extends tangentially around corresponding pegs on theunderlay.

Should annular projections exist between the side walls of thecontainer, these preferably do not extend beyond the lower marginal edgeof the side walls, so that the container stands on the outer side wallseven if the underlay is removed.

The advantage of this design is that not merely an article from thecontainer but the whole container can be removed from the drawer with alarge number of sorted tools and transported to the machine. Theselection is then made at the machine to determine which tool isspecifically required. Considerable movement is saved by this.

With many tools, the containers do not need to be very thick in shape,so that a plurality of containers can also be stacked one above theother in a drawer. In order that these should likewise be secured in thedrawer, the surface of the container will again be provided withprojections or recesses into which downward projections from thecontainer base or recesses molded into the container base then engage.

In a preferred example of embodiment of the invention, the projectionsare distributed over the marginal edges of the containers in such a waythat any desired variant of stackability is possible. Many conceivablepossibilities exist for this, and the present invention is intended to,encompass them. Furthermore, the projections on the marginal edges ofthe containers preferably form a different system from the securingsystem of the underlay or the base.

The overall arrangement of the projections and recesses is selected sothat the containers can be placed in a drawer not only in one alignmentbut also in the alignment rotated through 90° relative thereto.Accordingly, the projections and recesses are symmetrically arranged.This also applies, naturally, to the projections or recesses on thesurface or marginal edge of each container.

Furthermore, the possibility has also been considered of arranging theprojections and recesses in particular configurations so that onlycontainers from a particular manufacturer can be used. The same alsoapplies to a diameter of the projections and recesses and to theirheight or depth. Also, projections could be used that are larger in thelower region or the recesses could be made larger so that they can bemore easily located by the projections when the containers are inserted.

In some cases, it is also important for the underlay to be adapted to adrawer size or the like. In these cases, it may become necessary for asection to be cut off from the underlay and, possibly, placed at anotherpoint in the drawer. A special cutting aid is provided for thiscutting-off operation, which greatly facilitates it in a simple manner.In the preferred example of embodiment, the cutting aid consists of astrip whose width approximately corresponds to the distance apart of thepegs on the underlay. The strip contains a slit into which a cuttingtool can be inserted.

The strip can now be passed between the pegs, together with the cuttingtool, so that the cutting tool remains in line. The section to be cutoff is then broken, for example, over the edge of a table.

In a preferred example of embodiment, the cutting aid is alsosimultaneously designed as a template for matching a connection piece tothe underlay. The pegs of the connecting piece should be aligned withthe pegs of the underlay so that precise positioning of the containerscan be achieved.

Also provided on the strip for this purpose is a cover strip in whichmarginal depressions are formed which maintain a distance apart from oneanother corresponding to the distance between the pegs on the underlay.

In order to enable this cutting aid and template to be usable for bothfunctions, the strip of the cutting aid should possess a height at leastcorresponding to the height of the pegs on the underlay. If the cuttingaid is then used as a cutting aid, the cover strip passes over the pegs.If the cutting aid is used as a template, it merely needs to be twistedso that the pegs engage into the depressions.

For some examples of application, it has proven advisable to form thecontainer from a plurality of parts so that its length is matched to anarticle to be received. Therefore, for example, the container consistsof two end pieces between which one middle piece is provided. Thismiddle piece is matched to the length of the article. A plurality ofmiddle pieces may also be provided.

To identify the inserted articles, an indicator should preferably beassigned to the container. This indicator can also display the state ofwear of the inserted articles, as is described for example in DE 296 02136 U1.

In a simple example of embodiment, a plate has hook-shaped extensionswhereby it is hooked into an upper marginal edge of the side wall of thecontainer. In order to prevent the plate being lost, these hook-shapedprojections should possess barbs. If the plate is to be removed orreplaced, it is merely necessary to lift the plate so that apredetermined breaking point, provided between the plate and thehook-shaped extension, breaks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages, features and details of the invention are apparentfrom the description of preferred examples of embodiment given below andwith reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a lateral view of a tool chest which contains a deviceaccording to the invention for receiving articles;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of an opened drawer of the tool chest accordingto FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a lateral view of a rolled-up underlay for use in a draweraccording to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a container according to the invention

FIG. 5 shows a view from below of the container according to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of one part of a further example of embodimentof an underlay according to the invention;

FIG. 7 shows a view from below of a further example of embodiment of acontainer;

FIG. 8 shows a lateral view of the container according to FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 shows a plan view of the container according to FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 shows a plan view of a plurality of containers stacked one o theother;

FIG. 11 shows a plan view of one part of an underlay according to theinvention with inserted cutting aid;

FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of a further example of embodiment of acutting aid;

FIG. 13 shows a partial cross-section through an underlay according tothe invention with inserted cutting aid is a template for sizing parts;

FIG. 14 shows a partial cross-section through an underlay according tothe invention with inserted cutting aid in a different position of usefrom FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 shows a plan view of a further example of embodiment of acontainer according to the invention in an exploded view;

FIG. 16 shows a plan view of one part of a further example of embodimentof a container according to the invention with an indicator; and

FIG. 17 shows a cross-section through the container according to FIG. 16along the line XVII—XVII.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to FIG. 1, a tool chest 1 possesses a housing 2 in which aplurality of drawers 3.1 to 3.5 are removably arranged. A correspondingdrawer 3 is shown in detail in FIG. 2.

The drawer 3 possesses a front wall 4, a rear wall 5 and two side walls6.1 and 6.2. A handle 7 is arranged on the front wall 4. Furthermore,the front wall 4, rear wall 5 and side walls 6.1 and 6.2 enclose a base8.

On the base 8 lies an underlay 9 which, according to FIG. 2, is ofplate-shaped design. However, it is also within the scope of theinvention for the underlay 9 to be capable of being cut off from anunderlay roll 10, as is shown in FIG. 3. It is thus possible to adaptthe underlay 9 to the outline of the base 8.

According to the invention, projections 11 rise from the underlay 9 andmay be of any desired geometrical shape. Preferably, they are designedas cylindrical plugs or pegs. It is also conceivable that, instead of orin addition to the projections 11, recesses are formed in the underlay 9which serve the same purpose.

Containers 12 for receiving articles, especially tools, are insertedinto the drawer 3. FIG. 2 shows four such containers, 12.1 to 12.4. Eachcontainer possesses compartments 13, into which the corresponding toolsor other articles can be inserted. FIG. 2 shows that these containers12.1 to 12.4 may also be of different sizes. Preferably, however, theyare so designed that they can be distributed symmetrically in the drawer3.

According to FIG. 5, each container 12 possesses recesses 15 on itscontainer base 14, a large number of such recesses being shown accordingto FIG. 5. It is self-explanatory that far fewer recesses are alsosufficient, provided that the distribution is symmetrical. Instead ofthe recesses 15, which interact with the projections 11, projectionscould also project downward from the container base 14 and engage intocorresponding recesses in the underlay 9.

On its surface also, which according to FIG. 4 is designed as marginaledge 16, the container 12 possesses projections 17 which can interactwith corresponding recesses 15 in the container base 14 of anothercontainer. Here again, corresponding recesses may be provided instead ofthe projections 17, into which recess corresponding projectionsprojecting downwards from the container base 14 can then engage.

Instead of the projections and recesses, the corresponding connectionbetween container and underlay could also be provided by magnets.

The mode of functioning of the present invention is as follows:

First, an underlay 9 is cut off from an underlay roll 10 and fits into adrawer 3. A desired number of containers 12 is then placed in thisdrawer 3 on the underlay 9, the projections 11 of the underlay 9engaging into the corresponding recesses in the container base 14. As aresult, the container 12 is secured against sliding in the drawer 3.

As soon as the drawer 3 is essentially filled with containers 12, asecond layer of containers may also be stacked on the first layer, andhere again corresponding projections 17 projecting upward from thesurface of the containers 12 engage into corresponding recesses 15 ofthe overlying container 12.

If, for example, a particular type of tool is desired, that containerwhich contains these tools, though of different sizes, can be removedfrom the drawer 3 and brought to the machine. This has the advantagethat the full selection of desired tools of a particular type isavailable at the machine, so that no attention needs to be paid to thesize of this tool when searching in the drawer.

In a preferred example of embodiment of the invention according to FIGS.6 to 9, the underlay 9 is of plate-shape design. From it, thecylindrical pegs 11 project upward at regular distances apart, each setof four pegs forming a free space to receive a ring 18 projecting fromthe container base 14.1. This container base 14.1 is part of a containerdepression 20 which is connected via reinforcing webs 21 to side walls19.1 to 19.4.

The broken lines in FIG. 6 show how the container 12 rests on theunderlay 9. It can be seen that each of the rings 18 is seated betweenfour pegs 11. It can also be seen that the side walls 19.1 to 19.4extend around a plurality of pegs 11, so that the container 12 isretained by the interaction of rings 18 and the side walls 19.1 to 19.4with the pegs 11.

FIG. 8 shows that the rings 18 do not project above the plane of thelower marginal edges 22 of the side walls 19.1 to 19.4, so that thecontainer rests on these lower marginal edges 22. As a result, thestability of the container 12 is greatly improved.

The large intervening spaces between the pegs 11, which can be seen inFIG. 6, additionally permit easy cleaning of the underlay 9.Furthermore, the pegs 11 are preferably produced by deep drawing, theunderlay 9 in this case, which is likewise preferred, being producedfrom plastic.

The arrangement of the rings 18 in the position of use between pegs 11also has the advantage that the rings 18 need not be arranged too closeto the side walls 19.1 to 19.4, which in turn has advantages as regardsstability.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show crenellation-like projections on the marginal edges16 of the container 12.5. Corner crenellations 23 are provided in thecorner regions, a pair of crenellations 24.1/24.2 extending between twocorner crenellations 23. In this case, a distance a1 between thecrenellations 24.1 and 24.2 of a pair of crenellations should be smallerthan a distance a2 between the pair of crenellations 24.1/24.2 and acorner crenellation.

FIG. 10 shows that four different containers 12.6 to 12.9 can be stackedone on top of the other in this manner, the contents of the lowercontainer in each case remaining identifiable. From the symmetricalarrangements shown in FIG. 10, it could be seen that, for example, thesmallest container 12.6 could also be placed on the container 12.8 inaddition to the container 12.7, but that the possibility also exists ofarranging a second container 12.6 on the container 12.7 or on thecontainer 12.8. Similarly, a second container with the dimensions of thecontainer 12.7 could also be placed on the container 12.6. Furthermore,a further container 12.7, following the container 12.8, could be placedon the container 12.9, or two containers 12.6 are placed on thecontainer 12.9 and then follow the container 12.8. The arrangement ofthe crenellations permits these widely varying possibilities.

As mentioned above, the underlay 9 should be adapted, for example, to adrawer. It is therefore necessary, in many enforced cases, for theunderlay 9 to be cut to size. A very simply designed cutting aid 25 isprovided for this purpose. This consists of a strip 26 having a width bwhich corresponds to a distance a between two pegs 11. As a result ofthis design, the strip 26 can be pushed between a row of pegs 11, as isindicated by the arrow x.

A slit 27 is formed in the strip 26, into which slit, for example, aknife can be inserted. The knife is thus guided by the strip 26 andpasses in a straight line between the pegs 11.

After the underlay 9 has been scored with the knife, the strip to be cutoff is broken off from the underlay 9.

In a preferred example of embodiment of the invention according to FIGS.12 to 14, a cutting aid 25.1 is simultaneously also designed as atemplate when sizing a strip of an underlay. For this purpose, a coverstrip 28 is placed on the strip 26 and possesses marginal centeringdepressions 29.1 to 29.4 whose distance apart corresponds to thedistance a between the pegs 11.

If an additional underlay strip is now placed on an underlay 9 to fillout, for example, a drawer, the connecting point between underlay andadditional strip can be bridged by the cutting aid 25, as is indicatedin FIG. 13. In this case, the corresponding pegs 11 engage into thecentering depressions 29.1 to 29.3. The actual securing of underlay 9and connecting strip is preferably provided by adhesive sticks or thelike.

Should the cutting aid 25.1 be subsequently used again as an actualcutting aid, the cutting aid 25.1 is twisted, the height of the strip 26being selected so that the cover strip 28 passes over the pegs 11.

For long articles, such as, for example, rods, shafts, drills or thelike, it has proven advisable to develop a container 12.10 whichconsists of at least three parts. Two end pieces 30.1 and 30.2, whichare open on one side, receive a middle piece 31 between them which isopen on both sides.

Furthermore, as many middle pieces 31 as desired or a middle piece 31 ofa specific length may be provided between the two end pieces 30.1 and30.2.

DE 296 02 136.9 has disclosed a wear indicator relating to a toollocated in a container. This concept can also be adapted to the presentinvention. For this purpose, according to FIGS. 16 and 17, a plate 32 isconnected to a container 12.11. This plate 32 can be attached internallyor externally to the container 12.11. In a preferred example ofembodiment, the plate 32 is suspended in a side wall 19.5 of thecontainer 12.11. For this purpose, two slits 33.1 and 33.2 are formed inan upper marginal edge 16.1, the plate 32 engaging by means of ahook-shaped extension 34 into the slit 33.1 or 33.2. The hook-shapedextension 34 preferably possesses a barb 35 by which it is anchored inthe slit 33.1 or 33.2. In addition, a predetermined breaking point maybe provided close to the extension 34. If the plate 32 is to be removed,it is raised upward in the direction z, so that the predeterminedbreaking point breaks and the extension 34 is released from the plate32.

The plate 32 may possess a wear indicator, as mentioned above. However,any desired inscription is also possible.

The figures do not show the fact that the containers 12 to 12.11 mayalso be provided with lids. These lids may have a similar shape to apositioned container, but are designed to be much less deep. It is alsopossible, however, for the containers 12 to 12.11 to be sealed, forexample after the insertion of tools, with a film or similar skin whichis removed from the container only before use of the tools. Manypossibilities are conceivable here and are to be encompassed by theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A box for storing articles comprises: a housing;at least one drawer slidably received in the housing, the drawer has abase for support articles to be stored wherein the base is provided witha plurality of base securing means wherein the plurality of basesecuring means are provided on an underlay which is fitted on the baseof the drawer; and at least one container for receiving articles to bestored, the said at least one container has a bottom wherein anunderside surface of the bottom is provided with bottom securing meanswhich interacts with at least some of the base securing means forholding the container in a fixed position of the base of the drawerwherein the container has side walls with upper marginal edges on whichcrenellation-like projections are arranged for receiving anothercontainer placed thereon.
 2. The box according to claim 1, wherein thebottom securing means comprises projections which project downward andengage into the plurality of base securing means which comprisesrecesses.
 3. The box according to claim 2, wherein the projections andrecesses are arranged evenly spaced.
 4. The box according to claim 2,wherein the projections projecting downwards from the bottom are annularand disappear between the sidewalls.
 5. The box according to claim 1,wherein the container consists of a plurality of parts.
 6. The boxaccording to claim 1, wherein the container includes one of recesses andprojections on a sidewall surface which interact with one of projectionsand recesses of a second container.
 7. The box according to claim 6,wherein the projections are elongated.
 8. The box according to claim 1,wherein the projections are angular on the corner regions of thecontainer.
 9. The box according to claim 8, wherein at least two furtherprojections are arranged on a side wall marginal between the projectionsand the corner regions.
 10. The box according to claim 9, wherein thedistance between the two further projections is less than the distancebetween them and the projections on the corner regions.
 11. The boxaccording to claim 1, wherein the underlay consists of a flexiblematerial which can be rolled up.
 12. The box according to claim 1,wherein the underlay consists of a plate-shaped element.
 13. The boxaccording to claim 1, wherein the bottom securing means comprisesrecesses and engage into the plurality of base securing means whichcomprises projections projecting upward from the base.
 14. The boxaccording to claim 13, wherein the projections and recesses are evenlyspaced.
 15. The box according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of basesecuring means comprises pegs arranged with uniform spacing on the baseand the bottom securing means comprises pegs projecting downwards fromthe container bottom, wherein the pegs of one of the base and bottomhave a uniform spacing a distance apart (a) which is less than the pegdiameter of the pegs on the other of the base and bottom for securingthe container to the drawer.